


Stars and Dwarves

by octopus_fool



Series: Yuletide Cheer [6]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Dwarf Culture & Customs, Elves and Dwarves, Friendship, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Religion, Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 02:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5440865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/octopus_fool/pseuds/octopus_fool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Legolas is surprised to find Gimli watching the stars and ends up learning a few things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stars and Dwarves

**Author's Note:**

> Written for prompt 15 of [ardaadvent](http://ardaprompts.tumblr.com/post/133103717966/arda-advent-guidelines) on tumblr, "star".

“What are you doing out here?” Legolas asked, looking out across the moonlit plains of Rohan as they stretched out beneath Edoras and away from the mountains in the south.

“I am looking at the stars,” Gimli replied, leaning his side against one of the intricately carved pillars outside Meduseld.

“Looking at the stars? That does not seem like a particularly dwarf-like activity,” Legolas said. 

Gimli turned to face him where he leaned on the railing beside him, bristling slightly. “Not particularly dwarf-like? And since when have you been an expert on dwarves, young elf?”

Legolas bit his lip. “You are right. I am sorry. So dwarves are interested in the stars?” 

“It is not like the elves are the only ones for whom they shine. Your people may have woken beneath the stars in times long past, but our forefathers woke in darkness, only glow-worms above them. They sought the light and the glow-worms showed them the way out of their caves as our Maker had intended them to. The dwarves looked upon the stars too, marveling at their light.”

Legolas had not heard this story before. There was little any of the dwarves he had encountered had been willing to share about their stories and traditions. But perhaps, Legolas realized, it was not just that dwarves were said to be secretive, but he had never even asked.

“Do you have songs about Elbereth Gilthoniel as well?” Legolas asked.

“Your Star-Queen is only a distant legend to us,” Gimli said. “The Maker wanted us to see the sky-jewels and see more of the world in their light. They tell our history, though whether the Maker asked the Star-Queen to set the stars in the sky in such a way or if he taught the first dwarves to read them correctly has been a matter of endless discussion between scholars. Do you see that one over there?” 

Gimli pointed at a group of seven stars, forming three quarters of a circle. 

“You mean Anarríma?”

Gimli snorted. “Before there was even a sun to compare those stars with, Durin looked in Mirrormere, where he saw that crown of stars, Durin’s crown, reflected above his head and took it as a sign that it was a good place for a settlement.”

Gimli fell into silence, grief for the home of his ancestors written on his face. Legolas placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“That was the song you sang before we entered Khazâd-dum, was it not?”

Gimli nodded. “Aye, it was. Every dwarfling learns that song, along with tales about the splendour of Khazâd-dum. Alas, that Balin paid so dearly to reclaim it, and for so short a time before it was lost again. Tragedy and joy have always lain close together for my people. Do you see that constellation?” He pointed at a triangle of stars just above the distant mountains. 

Legolas nodded. 

“It is a winter constellation,” Gimli continued, “so most of it is no longer visible now that winter is waning. We call it the Peak. Now look at those stars.” Gimli pointed at a number of stars close to the previous ones. “What does it look like to you?”

Legolas squinted. “We elves don’t see those stars as a constellation, at least not amongst the Sindar and Silvan elves. The wise such as Elrond may have names for these first-shining, but we don’t, though we value them nonetheless. Maybe... I think it could be a ladder, or a rope?”

Gimli laughed. “See, that’s the problem with stars. Mahal may have wanted to tell us something with them, but we often fail to read them correctly. For many centuries, dwarves called them the necklace. Only in recent times have we understood that they symbolise a firedrake, right next to a single peak.”

“Oh,” Legolas breathed.

“You can imagine that there has been some discussion whether the fall of the Lonely Mountain could have been prevented if the scholars had read the stars correctly. Some say that since the stars foretold it, there was no way to avert it. A small group insists that we only see shapes in the stars because we already know what happened, causing quite an outcry for their heresy. Others see dragons in most of the stars now, trying to warn of another catastrophe. Some of them genuinely believe what they say while a few others are merely trying to lighten the purses of the fearful and gullible. King Dáin has been wielding a heavy hammer against them.”

“And what do you believe?” Legolas asked. 

Gimli grinned wrily. “I feel that if any of my actions are worthy of being cast in stars, I will most likely achieve them by standing by my friends and letting my axe fell as many orcs as possible.”

Legolas laughed. “I like your way of seeing it.”

Gimli’s grin faded. “Nonetheless, I do watch their paths. Only one of very little honour would disregard a work of craft as splendid as this and thus offer the Maker and your Star-Queen insult. So do not doubt the importance of stars for us dwarves, laddie.”

“I won’t, my friend. I had not given my words the consideration I should have. You have once again taught me better.”

Gimli observed the dark sky with its thousands of shimmering stars sprinkled across it for a few more moments, contemplating something. Finally, he came to a decision.

“I probably should not tell you this, but I trust you. The meaning of my name is ‘star’. I am not sure why it was chosen for me and what significance it carries, but it does remind me of their importance.”

Legolas blinked at him in surprise in confusion. “Your name? Do you mean your inner name? I thought...”

Gimli burst into laughter. “No, no! My outer name is one of the few that actually has a meaning in Khuzdûl, which is ‘star’. As much as I like you, laddie, we are not nearly close enough for me to tell you my inner name. Besides, you are an elf. Don’t push it.”

He thumped Legolas on the shoulder and Legolas burst into laughter as well. They stood side by side, watching as the sky turned to indigo, the stars faded and the sun rose above the foothills of the Eastern mountain range while Edoras slowly came to life.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m going with neo-Khuzdûl here, since the meaning of Gimli’s name stuck out for me when I browsed through the wordlist.
> 
> I decided to have Durin’s Crown be the same constellation as Anarríma for this story, which I equate with Corona Borealis from our world. It just makes more sense to me than having it be Valacirca (the Big Dipper/Plough) as many people do, since that does not particularly look like a crown to me.  
> As for the Peak, well, to quote Terry Pratchett “we've counted three thousand, one hundred and ninety-one constellations that could be called the Triangle”. I imagine the same goes for slightly zigzagged lines for the Firedrake. ;)


End file.
